iPod touch Camera Rumors Return

Like horrible holiday movie sequels, iPod touch camera rumors just keep getting spat out the mill with the same tired old plots and ever weaker impact. This time, the Examiner claims an "inside source" who claims that the iPod touch with camera was delayed last year from quality assurance reasons, but will return this spring with an iPod nano-like video recording capability.

Our take? Yeah, the camera was bumped from last year's iPod touch G3, but Apple likes its product cycles so we probably won't see a camera again until the iPod touch G4 is introduced in September 2010 (and we surely hope it's not the low-res, video-only nano camera by then either -- not on the flagship device, no sir!)

Reader comments

iPod touch Camera Rumors Return

The standalone PDA market is dead and the standalone music player market is dying. Nobody is excited anymore about the iTouch.
And what about iSteve's lame comment that a camera was left out because the iTouch is "not a phone"? Was that a dumb lie?
The addition of a camera to a music payer is not terribly exciting in today's tech landscape. Apple will realize few incremental sales due to this addition.

Not...quite dead, U-Idiot.
The iPod Touch platform is ideal for education. In many schools and colleges, it has been adopted to handle everything from schedules and assignments to testing and eBooks. Kids don't need phones, so the platform fits in nicely. Some parents are choosing to spend $200 to run a $2 app on it. Why? Because that $2 app will improve their kids' math scores (something we desperately need) and make all those late-night tutoring sessions a thing of the past. I've heard of people spending $1000 to run $2000 dollar software, but buying hardware that costs (at least) 100x the price of the software? Who'd walk away from that, let alone declare it, "dead," or not interesting? (hint: an IDIOT!)
There are many other industries, too, that can make use of the platform and don't need a phone with it. Even an iPod Touch with a built-in microphone would be a tremendous hit: in a corporate environment, it could tie in directly with VoIP servers - great for getting rid of handsets and folks who spend most of their day at their desks or wandering around their buildings. For now, the enhanced headphones will have to do.
A touch tablet would be even better and replace many paper-driven functions outright.
Maybe YOU'RE not excited by the iPod Touch, but who gives a rat-fluck what YOU and your 20 micron mind think? There are still plenty of adopters out there, with plenty of reasons (that they know of and even more they haven't even thought of yet) and billions of dollars ready to be spent.
The last thing anyone needs is someone like you running around proclaiming the death of a platform still in its infancy.
--- as for Dionte---
That's going to be the trick, isn't it? A swivel would be better, but given the size of the platform, it would be something likely to break.
But, let's jump ahead to 2010 for a second. Will Apple have access to a faster processor or multiple cores in 2010? Probably (for sure, the faster processor). If that makes it into the 4G, it might make sense to put in two sensors - forward and rear. That would make for some interesting reality augmentation, wouldn't it?
The alternative (putting a smaller LCD on the back, so you could see what you're taking a picture of) would be too costly, as for as power and weight go (to Apple designers and customers, money was never an object!)

@ IGenius: You're not. Just another troll from the Zune world, er, ecosystem that has nothing better to do.
Look at iPod sales of all types - go ahead, we'll wait.
While SOME company's products ARE dead, Apple's are not.
And BTW, "genius" there is no "itouch"
Doosh.

"Maybe YOU’RE not excited by the iPod Touch, but who gives a rat-fluck what YOU and your 20 micron mind think?"
Nobody should care what I think. Instead, they should look at sales trends for standalone PDAs and standalone music players. If they do, they will discover that the standalone PDA market is (compared to its former self) quite dead, while the standalone music player market is dying.
"There are still plenty of adopters out there, with plenty of reasons (that they know of and even more they haven’t even thought of yet) and billions of dollars ready to be spent."
Compared to the current smartphone market, and compared to the former standalone PDA market, you are describing niche audiences.
"The last thing anyone needs is someone like you running around proclaiming the death of a platform still in its infancy."
Neither the PDA nor the music player markets are in their infancy. Was there any other proclamation I made?
"Just another troll from the Zune world, er, ecosystem that has nothing better to do. Look at iPod sales of all types – go ahead, we’ll wait. "
I own neither a Zune nor any other standalone music player. I used to use Palm PDAs for many years, until I got a Treo Smartphone. Now I have an iPhone.
And I would welcome you to look at the sales trends of the iPod. Its market is dying. And it was the only product that ever gave Apple a market share bigger than single-digits. Soon, few people will buy standalone players, instead choosing integrated products like the iPhone and the Droid.
If you have better information, let me know.
"And BTW, “genius” there is no “itouch” Doosh."
Thanks for noticing. However, in case you failed to notice, there is no iSteve either.

There is a point in saying that the standalone music player is going out. Soon enough we'll be able to have cameras equal to point and shoot cameras in each of our phones, what will happen to camera sales then? The Itouch, however, is interesting in that it is able to run the 1000's of apps and whatnot, making it invaluable even without the phone function (and it can still make VOIP calls via skype or truphone). I have an iphone, but if I didn't then an itouch would be good too. As for a camera in the itouch, it would be nice to have at least...

I see the Touch as a great consolation for an iPhone, it's much more affordable and has no contract.
A camera might not increase sales but it would definately improve function. One would hope that a camera wouldn't be a one trick pony but have an array of uses such as photo, video, chat over wifi and direct uploading.
I see such great potential for the Touch and iPhone as an educational and productivity device, however I have to admit that many of the educational Apps I have used are sub-par (not blaming Apple).
I see one major flaw in all iPods is that we can't use it as an external storage device, I do have Air Sharing but unless my friend/client has wifi then I can't transfer anything. It seems like a no-brainer to me, a friend told me he wouldn't buy an iPod unless they had this function.

The ipod touch makes a great alternative to travelling without a computer. Check emails anywhere you have wifi. No boot up time and no $30- hit per month for an iphone data package by a second rate cell phone company with questionable 3g coverage. A good camera would be great and I would up grade.

Well i think they need to come out w/ the itouch incliding the camera right now because i cant wait till SEPTEMBER to get one! Thats WAY to far away and if i buy the 32 gb now, then when the one w/ camera comes out i'll be wanting it then. What to do, What to do?! UGH!

Not so sure the non-phone PDA market is dead. I'm looking to get a Touch for entertainment. The company I work for issued me a Blackberry, so I don't want to pay for a second/duplicate phone, but I would like to play with apps, have my own portable music/photo/film player, and do so without a monthly bill. Another factor is the proliferation of wifi... in homes, offices, campuses, stores, etc. One can use them just like smart phones in an ever growing number of places. Bottom line: For those wanting to enjoy the Apple platform without getting locked into an iPhone contract, the Touch is attractive.

Well as a blackberry and iphone lover it's my opinion that a camera would be nice but I prefer items that do 1 thing well instead of trying 2do every thing.Also for ppl living in metropolitian cities like D.C,New York and even some small cities the iphone is not an option A&T or Apple lied and there is no 3G coverage and I had to talk outside to keep a signal so I had to return my iphone 3GS and pay a 10% restocking fee.Verizon has the best service so I think the ipod is a nice alternattive and I have a mifi as a backup so when I'm at a place that doesn't have free wifi I use it with my ipod,the mifi lets u use up to 5 devices, and for 39.99 a month I get 5G of use if i'm somewhere w/o free wifi I was using mifi anyway b/c I always like being able to get on the internet so I don't think the ipod is a cheap version of the iphone I like the look of the ipod better and feel the blackberry is a better business phone that still allows u to retrieve email quicker, and go on the internet and do fun stuff and as a future principal I think the blackberry looks more professional.So I think whether u get the iphone or ipod touch ur good either way but i'm not going to deal w/AT&T spotty coverage for an iphone and if i'm listening to music on the iphone it's not a phone until I get off the internet and the novatel mifi offered by Verizon and Sprint is about the thickness of 5 credit cards u can put it right in ur purse or pocket and u never have to b whithout internet service on ur laptop or any wifi device.Just something to consider

In that iPod touch camera will weaker and gives many problem by using this ipod we causes the brain cancer also . but without this ipod we can't live.iphone will have many problem but some company give nice iphone ,ipad etc.

I agree with tony. I own a 2nd gen ipod touch but would upgrade THIS WEEK if they had a touch with a camera/video. as others have said, if apple adds a camera AND a video recorder ,well congrats. as far as im concerned, apple will have killed the video,camera,mp3, and game business. "the ultimate all in one device"

The lack of a video camera is what is holding me back from getting an iPod Touch. If it had the 480 x 640 SD video camera like the Nano, I would seriously consider getting one!
But, wait until September? I don't know.

I have a touch, I love it. It's free to own, no contracts, and all of the useful features of iphone without paying for iphone. For now iphone reception and 3g on AT&T is not as good as some other providers. When Verizon picks up iphone, i will probably ditch my touch.
So even though I am thrilled with the functionality of my touch, (yes it replaces my laptop for the most part) I will get rid of it as soon as I can get an iphone.